Belgrade to demand the extradition of Haradinaj

By Milos Mitrovic /
05/01/2017 /
Comments Off on Belgrade to demand the extradition of Haradinaj

Serbia will demand the extradition of Ramush Haradinaj, Kosovo Albanians’ politician and former leader of rebel group who is charged for war crimes by Serbian prosecution, prime minister Aleksandar Vucic said today. Haradinaj was arrested in France on Wednesday on the basis of Serbian Interpol warrant. Vucic said that he was hopeful that the law would be above politics in this case.

Most of those charged for war crimes in Kosovo and Bosnia by Serbian prosecution who were arrested in Western countries were released.

At the press conference in Belgrade, Vucic was decisive considering Serbia’s extradition demand but also suggested that he would be disappointed if it turns that in France “the law is not above the politics”.

Premier said that Serbian prosecution has “a number” of evidences against Haradinaj and “if France does on the basis of political positions rather than the law, it would be very unusual”. Vucic remarked that if such “unusual” situation occurs, Serbia would make assessment how to behave in reciprocal situation.

“We do not have the right, nor me or anybody else, to undermine the decision of the independent judiciary”, PM said alluding on charges against Haradinaj. When asked whether government faces pressures over the case, Vucic answered by saying he does “not know how pressure looks like”. “Nobody puts pressure on me, one cannot talk with me in such a manner, nor with Serbia”, he said.

At the same time, Vucic said: “I see what are their wishes, I recognize them, but I don’t care. What I’m interested in is law”, Vucic said. He did not specify who were “they” and what were “their” wishes./IBNA